Applicator assembly

ABSTRACT

A comb-shaped unitary plastic moulding in which a plurality of applicators constitute the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;teeth&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; of the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;comb;&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; a readily breakable connection between each applicator and the comb spine or holder being provided by a relatively frail fillet intervening therebetween. Each said applicator has a reduced end on which a soluble chemical is encrusted and each moulding has hermaphroditic connection facilities for attaching it to a second identical moulding in collateral relation; packaging for these mouldings being also contemplated by the invention.

United States Patent Un ar et al. Se t. 12 1972 g P a [54] APPLICATOR ASSEMBLY 2,508,710 5/1950 Gosselin ..206/29 Inventors: A. g Bathurst Milan! 3,530,977 9/1970 Ungarsohn ..206/29 Downsview, Ontario, Arthur Rosemhal, 67 Baycrest Ave" Totem 2,477,194 7/1949 Millard ..206/29 to, 19 Ontario, both of Canada FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 Filed= May 25,1970 859,819 l/l96l Great Britain ..206/65 R [21] Appl. No.: 39,995

Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Assistant Examiner-Ste hen Marcus [52] US. Cl ..206/56 C, 206/29, 206/56 AB, A"omy eon Anhursp 206/65 R, 206/DIG. 32 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 83/02 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search ..206/56 C, 56 AB, 29, 20, 33,

206/65 R, DIG 32; 128/260 269 267; A cornb-shaped unitary plastic moulgimg n 1 which a 35; 7o; 9 plurality Of apPllCatOl'S constitute teeth of-the comb; a readily breakable connection between each applicator and the comb spine or holder being pro- [56] References Cited vided by a relatively frail fillet intervening UNITED STATES PATENTS therellietitilveen. lliaglh salild applicator has a rgducgd eng on w ie a so u e c emica is encruste an eac 215681853 9,1951 GOPdWm "206,56 C moulding has hermaphroditic connection facilities for 3,486,611 Ourmet attaching it to a second identical moulding in 2,090,712 8/1937 Wachholz lateral reation; p gi g for these mouldings being also contemplated by the invention. 7 3:1 36:679 6/1964 Bender ..206/56 AB 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures APPLICATOR ASSEMBLY The invention relates to chemically tipped applicators such as find utility for a variety of purposes in the practice of medicine and in other fields. A said applicator resembles an ordinary household match in many respects; being generally comprised of a relatively thin, rigid stick or splint which serves as a handle by which a chemical encrustation forminga head on one of its ends, may be applied to a spot or stirred into a liquid, for example.

It will be appreciated that such applicators are ordinarily used singly i.e., one at a time, and hence are commonly provided in containers in which they are loosely packed to facilitate their individual removal therefrom.

As will be appreciated, this form of packaging has the obvious disadvantage that a relatively thin, light and insubstantial applicator as contemplated by the invention is inherently difficult to pick out of the package and it is, accordingly, not at all uncommon for one or more applicators to be spilled from the container when the usually hurried extraction of one of them is attempted.

Another disadvantage of the loose packaging aforesaid is that the chemically headed applicators are free to rub against each other in the container with the consequent abrasion and attrition of the chemical crust. Finally, there is, of course, the further objection that this form of packaging prevents or at least complicates the observance of hygienic requirements when such are necessary in the handling of the applicators. v

Having regard to the foregoing, a main and general object of the invention is to provide applicators as aforesaid grouped or assembled on common holders to which they are respectively attached by relatively weak connections. It is thus initially possible through the intermedium of the holds for a group of the respective applicators to be held and handled initially as a unit, from which they are later easily detachable without fumbling and without contamination; the applicators being attached to the holder, when appropriate, in suitably spaced relation. In addition, the invention further contemplates a convenient package for said holders and the applicators carried thereby.

More particularly according to the invention, each normally double-ended applicator is rooted at one of its ends on a said holder which is rectilinear, in this'example, and on which the applicators stand in spaced columnar; the opposite and unrooted ends of the respective applicators being chemically-tipped as aforesaid and constituting the heads of theapplicators.

In the embodiment selected for the expository purposes of this submission, the combination of the holder and the complement of applicators carried thereby is constituted entirely by a single plastic moulding; the rooting of each applicator on the holder being effected through the intermedium of a weak, integral fillet which is readily broken to release the applicators for removal.

The above-stated and other more or less broad objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth, in part, hereinafter and, in part, will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practice of the invention; the same being realized and attained by the instrupended claims. In the specification following, the ele ments, parts, and principles of the invention are disclosed by way of example only in relation to a selected embodiment of the inventive idea which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference devices refer to like parts of the invention throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged elevational view of a holder according to the invention with a complement of both headed and unheaded applicators rooted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational 'view of the holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 in which a pair of the devices of FIG. 1 are interconnected in back-toback relation with a portion of one of them broken away to reveal a structural detail;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary and isometric end elevational view of the devices of FIG. 3 with a cover added thereto;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the applicator of FIG. 2,

and

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a pair of devices according to a modification of the invention in association with a modification of thepackaging illustrated in FIG. 4.

An enlarged view of a present applicator A is provided byFIG. 2 being an end elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 comprising a group of applicators A rooted on a holder 2 and forming an assembly which is haircomb-shaped and, for that reason, hereinafter generally referred to as comb C.

As will be apparent from said FIGS. 1 and 2, the holder 2 of comb C is comprised'of a thickened and more or less sturdy trunk 4 to which each of the several applicators A is attached through a weak integral fillet 6. In the present embodiment the fillet 6 provides a common bond between the respectiveapplicators A and trunk 4; said fillet 6 being very'feeble and easily broken to permit easy and individual detachment of the individual applicators Afrom holder 2.

As shown in the drawing, the several applicators A comprised in comb C are spaced in single file or columnar order on the holder 2; the spacing of each intermediate applicator A from its neighbors permitting individual handling thereof for detachment purposes. As is implicit in the term columnar order, all said applicators A are disposed in parallel relation to each other and point in the same direction.

Each said applicator A is double-ended; one end being the root end which is attached to holder 2 in the manner hereinbefore described and the other end, namely, the head end 8, being free. Said free end 8 is of reduced diameter and joins the applicator body 10 at a sharply defined shoulder 12; the applicators bodies 10, and their free ends 8, being all of respectively uniform dimensions. Said free end 8 of each applicator A has an 'encrustation 14 of a chemical with or without therapeutic value as has been said. In general, the application of the chemical to free ends 8 is effected by immersing said free ends 8 in liquid chemical and then withdrawing them; the comb C being initially invertedso that the ends 8 point downwardly during immersion and point upwardly when the comb C is righted thereafter at which time, depending on viscosity, the

liquid material clinging to each free end 8 is trapped thereon by shoulder 12 whereby, in effect, the quantum of chemical residue on the respective applicator tips in a comb C will generally be found to be relatively uniform.

The invention further visualizes the provision of interconnection facilities on each holder 2 whereby a plurality of such holders two, in this instance may be interattached and unified, so to speak.

As contemplated by the identical invention, said interconnection facilities are such as to enable two combs CC to be coupled together in collateral or side by side relation. For this purpose, the connections may be hermaphroditicin nature, comprising a socket at one end of the holder 2 and a mating plug 22 at its other end; these parts being arranged and spaced so that, when two combs CC are arranged in mutually confronting and conterminous relation, the plug 22 carried by each of them will be matingly received within the socket 20 of the other thus intercoupling and integrating them for handling as a single unit. Expediently, each said socket 20 and plug 22 may be ringed by an embossment serving as a spacer 24 between the intercoupled combs CC.

The specific spacing of socket 20 and plug 22 on a holder 2 may be scaled to enable the combs C-.C to be assembled in precisely conterminous relation if so desired.

In the modification of the invention exemplified by FIG. 1 the trunk 4 of holder'2 is provided with slots 25-25 accommodating staples 27 attaching an enveloping cover 29 to comb C or combs CC more or less similarly to that covered by the familiar book matches; such attachment of the cover 29 to a pair of combs CC being illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawing.

In the modification of the invention exemplified by FIG. 6, an alternative cover for a pair of combs CC is constituted by a containing sleeve 30 whose ends 32- 32 may be provided with conventional closure flaps which may be closed for sanitary reasons, for example, or which may be opened to permit the projection and retraction of combs CC through said ends 32-32 substantially as will beapparent from FIG. 5.

In the embodiment illustrated in this view, the sleeve 30 is provided with an axial. slot 34 through which projects a pin 36 engaging the interattached combs CC; the pin 36 being reciprocable in slot 34 to project the interattached combs CC alternately through each said sleeve end 32 within the limits of said slot 34.

The movement of combs CC within sleeve 30 and the location of slot 34 may be facilitated and optimized, as the case may be, by the herein visualized addition of skids or runners 38-38 to the bottoms of comb trunks 4'4' for gliding engagement with the proximal wall 40 of sleeve 30.

To take an applicator Afrom the package illustrated in FIG. 5, it is necessary only to move pin 36 in slot 34 either to the right or the left to cause one end of the intercoupled combs CC to project through a sleeve end detachment of an applicator A from a comb C; the

cover 29 being then reclosable for sanitary or other protective reasons.

What we claim is:

1. An applicator assembly comprising a unitary plastic molding including:

a plurality of applicators and a linear holder on which said applicators are individually rooted and from which they are readily and individually detachable; and

coupling means integral with said holder enabling in tercoupling of said molding with another like molding disposed in collateral relation thereto;

a double-ended sleeve in which said unitary molding is containable and in which it is slidable to project alternately are the respective sleeve ends providing access to said applicators from either end thereof;

said sleeve having a slot and a pin reciprocable in said slot engaging said molding for sliding it as aforesaid.

2. An applicator assembly comprising a unitary plastic molding including:

a plurality of applicators and a linear holder on which said applicators are individually rooted and from which they are readily and individually detachable;

the said holder is equipped with coupling means enabling intercoupling of said molding with another like molding disposed in collateral relation thereto;

the applicators are rooted on said holder in spaced columnar order and the rooting of each said applicator is efiected through a fillet providing a weak and readily breakable connection between each said applicator and the holder, and

each said applicator has a body and a free end of reduced cross section relative to said body and which merges with it at a shoulder, a soluble chemical crust being provided on each said free end;

the bodies and free ends of all of the said applicators being of respectively uniform dimensions;

a double-ended sleeve in which said unitary molding is containable and in which it is slidable to project alternately from the respective sleeve ends;

said sleeve having a slot and a pin reciprocable in said slot engaging said molding for sliding it as aforesaid.

3. An applicator assembly comprising a unitary plastic molding including:

a plurality of applicators and a linear holder on which said applicators are individually rooted and from which they are readily and individually detachable;

' each said applicator is rooted weakly on the holder forming a readily breakable connection between the applicator and the holder;

all said applicators are rooted on said holder through a common fillet;

the applicators are rooted on said holder in spaced columnar order;

a second unitary plastic molding which is identical to the first and disposed in collateral relation thereto;

hermaphroditic coupling means on each said molding intercoupling them, and

each said applicator has a body and a free end of reduced cross section which merges with said body at a shoulder; a soluble chemical crust provided on each said free end, and the bodies and free ends of all of the said applicators being of respectively uniform dimensions. 

1. An applicator assembly comprising a unitary plastic molding including: a plurality of applicators and a linear holder on which said applicators are individually rooted and from which they are readily and individually detachable; and coupling means integral with said holder enabling intercoupling of said molding with another like molding disposed in collateral relation thereto; a double-ended sleeve in which said unitary molding is containable and in which it is slidablE to project alternately are the respective sleeve ends providing access to said applicators from either end thereof; said sleeve having a slot and a pin reciprocable in said slot engaging said molding for sliding it as aforesaid.
 2. An applicator assembly comprising a unitary plastic molding including: a plurality of applicators and a linear holder on which said applicators are individually rooted and from which they are readily and individually detachable; the said holder is equipped with coupling means enabling intercoupling of said molding with another like molding disposed in collateral relation thereto; the applicators are rooted on said holder in spaced columnar order and the rooting of each said applicator is effected through a fillet providing a weak and readily breakable connection between each said applicator and the holder, and each said applicator has a body and a free end of reduced cross section relative to said body and which merges with it at a shoulder, a soluble chemical crust being provided on each said free end; the bodies and free ends of all of the said applicators being of respectively uniform dimensions; a double-ended sleeve in which said unitary molding is containable and in which it is slidable to project alternately from the respective sleeve ends; said sleeve having a slot and a pin reciprocable in said slot engaging said molding for sliding it as aforesaid.
 3. An applicator assembly comprising a unitary plastic molding including: a plurality of applicators and a linear holder on which said applicators are individually rooted and from which they are readily and individually detachable; each said applicator is rooted weakly on the holder forming a readily breakable connection between the applicator and the holder; all said applicators are rooted on said holder through a common fillet; the applicators are rooted on said holder in spaced columnar order; a second unitary plastic molding which is identical to the first and disposed in collateral relation thereto; hermaphroditic coupling means on each said molding intercoupling them, and a double-ended sleeve in which said intercoupled moldings are containable and in which they are jointly slidable to project alternately from the respective sleeve ends, said sleeve having a slot, and a pin reciprocable in said slot for sliding said moldings as aforesaid.
 4. An applicator assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein: each said applicator has a body and a free end of reduced cross section which merges with said body at a shoulder; a soluble chemical crust provided on each said free end, and the bodies and free ends of all of the said applicators being of respectively uniform dimensions. 